Childfree Life: Kids Really Do Ruin Marriages, Study Finds

New research from Open University in the U.K. finds that couples without children are more satisfied with their relationships than couples with kids.

In a study of more than 5,000 adults, findings showed that childless couples have happier marriages and feel more valued in their relationships, reports The Guardian.

But researchers also found that women without children were the least happy with their lives overall, whereas mothers were happier than any other group, even if they had troubles in their relationships. Yet fathers were twice as likely as mothers to report a lack of sexual intimacy as the biggest problem in their relationship.

Findings also showed that important factors in keeping a relationship healthy included saying thank you and giving compliments.

The research involved interviews and surveys with couples of all ages, statuses, and sexual orientation over a two-year period.

Prior research has also found that couples with children eat a less healthy diet that those who have none, even when controlling for other factors such as income or age. That study was published in the December 2011 issue of the European Review of Agricultural Economics.